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Hussar 54
14th Feb 2009, 21:42
Would really appreciate advice / help, please...

A couple of weeks ago, I was copying some photo files from my HD to a CDR in the Diskdrive...

Unfortunately, we had one of the many blackouts we get down in this part of the world and the copies were not completed before my PC ' died '...

I now find that although my HD shows the individual photos' files are still there on the HD, when I click on the thumbnail they fail to open with the message ' No Preview Available ' and then the thumbnail vanishes from the ' My Pictures ' folder...

The file ' properties ' shows the files still have 700K size, and I've been unable to open them with -

Windows Picture & Fax Viewer - message ' no preview available ' ....

Office Picture Manager - no message, just the ' little red x in a box '...

InfranView - message ' can't read the file header '....

SERIF - ' failed to open document ' message....

And ideas / advice, please ?

Thanks

Keygrip
14th Feb 2009, 22:23
The words "Straws" and "Clutching" spring to mind here - but there is a computer guru(ess) out in Phoenix, Arizona who sends out a weekly mail/newsheet (whatever).

She is constantly talking about photo recovery (lost daa) and says she has freebie software on her site for just that (and zillions of other) purpose(s).

Try a look at Kim Komando's site at www.komando.com (http://www.komando.com)

Paws crossed.

John Marsh
14th Feb 2009, 23:09
I've had success with PC Inspector File Recovery:
CONVAR & PCinspector Data Recovery Datenrettung recupero dati datarecovery rcupration donnes (http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file_recovery/info.htm?language=1)

I think it would be best to use the affected PC as little as possible until you have finished recovery attempts. As Windows isn't properly recognising the files, it might record over them. Can anyone else comment? I'd also advise against defragmenting the HDD 'for the duration'.

Short of buying an uninterruptible power supply, you could improve your chances against future outages when saving files by creating an intermediate folder. Copy the files to it first; then copy onwards to disc.

[A strange thing - XP seems more reliable when copying, not moving, things to disc.]:confused:

Tinstaafl
15th Feb 2009, 05:43
Download - on **another computer** - 'Photorec' from Main Page - CGSecurity (http://www.cgsecurity.org). It's part of the Testdisc suite so will need to be burned to CD. Boot from the live CD & run photorec on the drive with a 2nd drive attached to store the results eg a USB stick or USB hard drive.

Meanwhile don't use the PC with the photos!

capewrath
16th Feb 2009, 09:54
Try Restoration Restoration Freeware download and review - file undelete utility from SnapFiles (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/restoration.html)

or

File Scavenger Data recovery tool for Windows XP, Windows 2000/2003 and Windows NT (http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm)

Jofm5
17th Feb 2009, 04:33
Are the files themselves still intact ?

It could just be the file generated by the operating system became corrupted which is no biggie to fix.

When in explorer browsing the folder change the folder from thumbnail/preview view to that of details - then try accessing each individual file - if you can open each individual file then these are intact and its a corruption of the thumbnail preview performed by explorer.

If its a corruption of the preview open the folder in explorer, navigate to the folder of pictures and then try hitting ctrl-f5 - this should force a rescan of all files and pictures.

If this does not work you can try deleting the preview file that the operating system builds to speed up folder scaning. Whilst in the folder of picture change the view from preview/icons/thumbnails to detail and ten go to the tools menu, select folder options and then go to the tab view - uncheck hide extensions for known file types and change the option to show hidden and system files - then look in the folder for thumbnails.dat - delete this file (it will be slightly opaque to signify a system file). You can now switch back to your preview/icons/thumbnails view and hit ctrl-f5 and the file will be rebuilt - the pictures should no longer be corrupt.

You may want to reverse out the changes to folder view by reversing what I said above in the folder options so all looks familiar again.

Hope this helps.

ps. Thumbnails.dat is one of the very few system files you can get away with (and windows will allow) deleting as it is generated from your content in the folder.

Hussar 54
20th Feb 2009, 22:09
Thanks everyone....

Tried the downloads but no success....

Still struggling - the files are there but still can't open them with anything but MS Word and I end up with the ' coloured squares '.....

All very strange !

Jofm5 - Sent you a PM... Hope you don't mind.....

GWYN
21st Feb 2009, 07:46
Hi Hussar

Well I knew there must be some downside to living in that part of the world!

I had a similar problem with a digital camera, tried everything but to no avail. I finally found and eventually bought, 'Digital Photo Recovery' software at Digital Photo Recovery software for Digital Picture Recovery, Digital Image Recovery and Digital Media Recovery (http://www.photosrecovery.com) I have to say that I have no connection with this company but simply found that this software worked in my case. It cost me around GBP30. It is very slow, and to scan a hard drive will take a LONG time, but it was worth its weight in gold in scanning a memory stick. You can also use it to recover other deleted files if required.

If you search on the web for 'digital photo recovery software' many of the vendors will allow a download and free trial. The free trial will usually allow you to scan the memory, so that you can at least see if it will work in your case, but then not allow saving of the recovered files until you have purchased. I suggest trying free versions until you find one which works for you. It will take some time, but it depends how much you want those pictures back...........................! I just found that the above seemed to work for me.

If it was easily removable memory I would say, 'Send it to me and I'll see what I can do,' but a hard drive ....................

All the best with it.

supercarb
21st Feb 2009, 09:36
The problem you have is that the image data in the jpeg files has become corrupted. The various programs listed above are only for recovery of inadvertantly lost or erased files, they are not capable of fully repairing the actual image data.
In a similar situation in the past I have had good results with this software:

JPEG Recovery - Recover corrupted JPEG Picture after Data Recovery Processing (http://www.hketech.com/JPEG-recovery/index.php)

GWYN
22nd Feb 2009, 09:57
Supercarb

Without wishing to argue, and as a 'non-techie' I don't actually think that the image data is necessarily corrupted, as in my case 95%+ of the images were recovered. Admittedly a very few were corrupted and unrecoverable. Is it not more likely that the indexing is somehow corrupted? I suspect that in most cases that is the problem. However, once the images have been recovered, your recommendation looks a useful option for those which are corrupted.

If I am making an idiot of myself, please be understanding!

KillingTime
22nd Feb 2009, 14:00
Write down the full path to reach your photo folder from C: (i.e. C:/applications and settings/yourname/yourdocs/yourpictures)
then
click Start/Run
Type 'cmd' then OK
You get a DOS black box saying C:/documents and settings/username
type CD.. (CD+two dots) then ENTER to move back up the folder tree. Repeat until the prompt is a blinking C:
Then make your way to your photo folder by typing CD foldername ENTER, one folder at time, using your written down path. For example:
CD mydocuments takes you to a blinking C: mydocuments
from CD mydocuments type CD myphotos
and so on until the blinking C: is followed by the exact path you noted down earlier. You are in your pics folder.
type DIR then ENTER to ensure that you are there - you'll see the pics listed
now then
type chkdsk /f /v /r then press ENTER.

Let it work. Once it's done and it's back to the blinking prompt, type EXIT, then go back and see if your files have been recovered. They normally are.

Good luck.

Hussar 54
13th Mar 2009, 23:13
Well....

Thanks everyone for your advice and help....

Tried everything but still no sign of a solution yet....Bugger !!

But special mention of the people recommended by Supercarb - extremely helpful and could easily have taken $50 off me for nothing....